'25 MSAA Summer Institute

A separate registration and fee are required for pre-conference workshops.  Each pre-conference workshop below has a registration link.

Conference fee: $150 / non-member$205
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An increasing number of students are struggling with mental health issues, and their behaviors such as leaving class, disengaging from tasks, disrupting others, or quietly resisting are often misunderstood. This can lead to significant frustration for school teams, and traditional behavior plans frequently fall short, failing to address the underlying causes of these behaviors. One key issue often overlooked is the impact of negative and inaccurate thinking, a hallmark of student anxiety, which can contribute to disengagement and dysregulated behavior. For instance, if a student is overwhelmed by negative thoughts about the difficulty of an assignment or their ability to complete it accurately, which hinders their engagement during a writing task, a typical intervention such as a graphic organizer may not be effective. This workshop will equip participants with strategies to reduce these negative and inaccurate thoughts, thereby preventing oppositional behavior and improving students' work engagement, initiation, persistence, and self-monitoring through practical, preventive approaches.Learning Objectives:

1. Identify why common interventions may not always work for students with anxiety-related behavior
2. Enumerate strategies for reducing negative thinking toward writing
3. Participants will be able to enumerate strategies to promote initiation skills in students with work avoidance

Conference Fee: $150 / Non-Member $205
Click here to register

Most principals dive straight into operations, drowning in logistics while trying to make a good first impression. But what if there was a better way to start? In this intensive workshop, Danny Bauer reveals his unconventional "upside down" framework that turns traditional entry planning on its head. Instead of getting lost in the weeds of schedules and procedures, you'll learn how to build sustainable momentum by focusing on what matters most.

640+ principals used this approach last year, which covers the five essential areas of a successful entry plan in a specific sequence:

• Self-Leadership: Establish sustainable practices that keep you energized
• Communication Systems: Create clear information flows between all stakeholders
• Academic Focus: Identify the key areas that will create the biggest impact
• Culture Building: Design the experience you want students and staff to have

Operations: Handle logistics efficiently with your foundation in place.  Perfect for new principals or experienced leaders transitioning to new roles, you'll leave with a practical 90-day plan that sets you up for long-term success. While others are still pushing papers and putting out fires, you'll be building momentum toward your vision of excellence.

Warning: This isn't your typical "binder full of policies" workshop. Come ready to reimagine what leadership looks like in those crucial first 90 days.

Conference fee: $150 / Non-member $205
Click here to register

This workshop introduces school administrators and faculty to the principles and practices of Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation, based on the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Participants will explore the six principles of nonviolence and the six steps of nonviolent conflict reconciliation, gaining tools to foster a culture of peace within their schools. Administrators and faculty will learn how to address conflicts constructively, promote equity, and build inclusive school communities.
 
The workshop also offers strategies for integrating nonviolence education into school policies and daily interactions, enhancing leadership and curricular skills through empathy, active listening, and restorative practices. This professional development opportunity equips administrators and faculty to lead with compassion, resolve conflicts effectively, and create a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff.

Conference Fee: $150 / $205 non-member
Click here to register

This workshop will explore how Restorative Practice is a fundamental change in how to respond to misbehavior and rule violations and is viewed as an alternative to traditional school discipline. Participants will review the principles of Restorative Practice and how they are designed to gain a better understanding as to what happened, why it happened, and how the damage can be fixed. The restorative approach, within a school setting, attempts to shift the emphasis from managing behavior to focusing on building relationships. Also, Restorative Circles are a strategy used for building the school s or classroom s community through authentic dialogue coming to an understanding and making things right.

Participants will:

• Explore the fundamental principles of Restorative Justice.
• Understand that Restorative Justice is an alternative to traditional disciplinary approaches.
• Understand that Restorative Justice is non-punitive, is relationship focused, addresses conflict and promotes collaborative problem solving, among students and staff. 
• Explore the use of Community Building Circles used for intentional communication to establish values, shared experiences and build relationships.